Love Of A Hero
by Hoshi6
Summary: Peace has been restored to Hyrule. Time has returned to its original state. Link lived again within the safe confines of Kokiri forest, the Sages to the heavens. But Link realizes his life within the forest now seems obsolete. Hyrule is calling him back.


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Hoshi Says: Gee! My very first chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! Love & Peace!  
  
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Link awakened from a deep sleep that had lasted three days. He sat up in his bed, and rubbed his eyes, recalling what had happened last. Ganondorf.four days ago he had defeated the King Of Evil, and now Link had restored peace and prosperity reigned over Hyrule once more. Link had cured Hyrule of the worst things that could plague it. After sitting upon his bed awhile, he slowly walked over to his mirror and glanced at his reflection. He was young again. Navi had departed; Epona had been set free to the world and to roam on Talon's ranch once again, but the part or it that stung most of all was the fact his friends that he made were now all gone. People were also brainwashed to their existence, even though they helped him the most in banishing the evil and saving the world. Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru, and her.Zelda.  
Link's mind rushed back to the memories of Zelda and him together. Their meetings had been few and hasty, but Link cherished each one. He sensed Zelda felt the same way. He had fallen in love with her, and now she had to go, to protect the world from evil. Link was left alone in the world, yet he was not. The people he had known forever since that day seven years ago were still around him, but he felt empty still because the people he cherished most were now gone. He remembered the last conversations he had with Zelda three days ago. At that time he was still at his age of seventeen, and so was she. He remembered everything she said there, in the sky above Hyrule after the final battle with the King Of Evil, it was as if she was saying it to him again now, and was once again here with him.  
  
"Thank you, Link.thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm! Thus, peace will once again reign in this world.for a time." Said Zelda. Her and Link stood close to each other in the clouds above Hyrule.  
"All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing." said Zelda breaking off and looking below to the land below her.  
"I was so young.I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm. I dragged you into it too. Now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes.you must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door Of Time.however, by doing this, the road between times will be closed."  
She raised her vivid blue eyes to meet Link's.  
"Link, give the ocarina to me.as a Sage, I can return you to your original time with it." murmured Zelda holding out her hand to Link. Link looked at Zelda, and then to the ocarina in his hand. He hesitantly handed it to her, and she put her hand on his for a moment before holding taking it fully into her grasp.  
"When peace returns to Hyrule.it will be time for us to say good- bye." she murmured. Link let go of the ocarina and Zelda's hand, and Zelda now held it close to her, her eyes full of sadness.  
"Now, go home, Link. Regain your lost time. Home.where you are supposed to be.the way you are supposed to be."  
She now held the mythical ocarina to her lips. She began to play Zelda's Lullaby and she closed her eyes. Link thought at that moment, she was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on, those moments in the clouds.meaningful and bittersweet, but Link cherished them with all his heart. She opened her eyes to see him one last time as he was engulfed by a magic crystal and transported through time and to his the Temple Of Time to perform his last task for Hyrule. As Link's consciousness drifted through the magic void, he heard her voice say a bittersweet goodbye.  
"Thank you, Link.Good-bye."  
  
Link came back to reality only to find a wetness on his cheeks that seemed as though it would not stop. Reality was cold, he knew he needed to come to that conclusion, but he just didn't know how. Maybe he just needed time until he decided. Link stepped outside into the warm night of the Kokiri forest. The fireflies glittered above as they always had and always will. Link lingered there a minute.at one time this was all he knew, all he had lived. Now he desired more since he had felt more, and the pain of this small town was like a knife in his chest, twisting ever so slowly towards his heart. Here he would never change, never learn, never live. True, here you never die, but in a whisper of truth through a twisting lie, to be immortal here was to be nothing.  
Link wiped his tears away with his small hand, and climbed down the ladder onto the soft earth below. He ran with a fury towards the vines that grew behind Mido's house up above the village towards the Lost Woods. He needed to go somewhere wide open and free. The Lost Woods should do, for it is all he could have now. He was again sealed in this comfort of a prison where it was to die to leave. Not at the hands of the Kokiri, but at the hands of his own being. Link was again a Kokiri and was not to leave without the permission of destiny. Link stood in a still glade upon a stump, and pulled his fairy ocarina from his tunic. He held it to his lips and began to play The Song Of Time. It was a small reminder to Link of the days of old when that song meant a great deal to play, and when he meant a great deal, but now served as a comforting memory. Yes, the people of Hyrule remembered that Link had saved them, but it seemed faded and indistinct, for now that time had been changed back, no one remembers all Link had done. Time had been turned back for a final time, and Link's accomplishments had been forgotten by all, save for Link's and the Sages memory.  
"Hello Link! What brings you to our glade?" asked a curious voice from behind him on the stump above, it was one of the forests Skull Kid had appeared there.  
"Huh!? How long have you been standing there!?" Link demanded.  
"Oh please.don't be so hostile Link! Now, I applaud you on you performance! Now! What was that enticing melody you just played, pray tell?" inquired the Skull Kid flipping down off his perch on the stump over to where Link was to examine his ocarina.  
"It.it's nothing. Just a song I know."  
"Now Link.is there something any of us Skull Kids did to make you act as such? You seem cross." Stated the Skull Kid analytically.  
"I'm just not in the mood for talking to anyone right now.it is not you. Please don't feel offended. I just.need to be alone. Good-bye Skull Kid."  
"Good-bye then Link.have fun." Said the Skull Kid mockingly as he flipped backwards twice and disappeared into the magic void of the forest.  
  
"Link, you stupid oaf! Where have you been all day? The city gathering is in thirteen minutes and I have been looking for you all day you good-for- nothing!" exclaimed Mido as he saw Link approaching. Mido was sitting on Links porch, and had apparently helped himself to a pomegranate from inside Link's home, as it was obvious from Mido's purple stained fingers and the seeds from which he had acquired at hand. He threw the whole slimy wad Link's feet and insisted that Link go to the town's meeting area at once.  
"Now! Otherwise you shall be punished you filth!" spat Mido as he walked away grumbling about how now he would not be able to properly prepare himself for the meeting to take place. Link looked down at his feet and shook off the remaining saliva covered pomegranate seeds. He turned around and strode up the path towards the city commons in front of the city store. He stopped briefly to wash off the seed stains on his legs and boots, and then hopped across the stepping-stones to the commons. Link made his way through his Kokiri friends and villagers to a deserted stepping stone by himself.  
Mido took his place above the commons on the bridge above. "Sorry I am late fellow devoted citizens.I had some, trash to take care of shall we say, that took me longer than it should have!" declared Mido as he shot a venomous glance at Link. "But now then.we have to take care of the unkemptness of this fine city, and I as your mayor command you all, and hear my words, a new law set tomorrow to dispose of all the rocks and unwanted weeds in this city. I hereby.."  
Link decided Mido's new laws for the city were not worth listening to and Link began examining the fish swimming below him in the water. A blue one, a purple one and an orange one began swarming around a piece of biscuit Link threw into the water, and Link smiled as the purple one stole it and swam away.  
"And I hereby state that I Mido, Mayor of this fine city---excuse me! Link! Is there any efforts that need to be made to focus your attention to importance.me, and my importance that is!?" exclaimed Mido furiously. "Or do I need to have the citizens take action against you?" finished Mido.  
All eyes now focused on Link in astonishment, Link now blushed a red that rivaled with the color of his bright sash. Link stumbled the words from his mouth as he looked down in embarrassment. "Na-no Mr. Mido...I shall listen." Stuttered Link.  
"Well, then.accompany me up here if you would. Chop-chop! The village doesn't want to wait all day!" said Mido with a mocking gleam in his eyes as Link stumbled to his feet. Link hurried up behind Saria's old house, stopping a moment, not wanting to go back into the eyes of the villagers.  
"Oh Link! We are waiting!" rang Mido's voice. Link stepped forward, and Mido motioned for Link to sit at his feet.  
"Ah! Now Then! Where were we? Ah yes.the Deku Tree declared that we must each one of us perform the duty every hour of bringing him a bottle of water, and pouring it at his feet throughout twenty four hour periods. I shall have my assistant post a copy of the schedule in the shop. And yes.it does require some of us to get up in the middle of the night, but.for our leader's requirements, we shall do it!"  
"But.Mr. Mido.could not we make a reservoir or water for him as the Kokiri before us did for The Ancient Deku Tree when he was a sprout? It works as well-" said Kekichi, a village member.  
"Silence you! Are you questioning my brilliance!? I command we do this, for I-er-the Great Deku Sprout requires fresh, I say, fresh water for his roots!" said Mido.  
"Yes your honor! I understand!" replied Kekichi respectful and embarrassed.  
"Well then! I am assuming there are no more questions as to my plans? Good-night then Kokiri village!" declared Mido as he turned arrogantly towards the winding path to home. And after Mido was out of sight and hearing range, the Kokiri began to chatter and retire towards their homes.  
Link saw Kekichi headed home with slumped figure of embarrassment. "Hey Kekichi.it's alright about Mido. He's not a good person.he does this to everyone.you know that! Someday I believe even the Great Deku Tree will rise up to make him back down, because people like him never change, and they are never right." Said Link soothingly to Kekichi, who had now stopped in his tracks and looked at Link in astonishment.  
"You know, if Mido saw us talking now.he'd know what were saying without hearing! I must go! I don't want to be bothered anymore. Sorry he did that to you too.I am fine! Thanks for caring.bye." Said Kekichi turning leaving Link staring behind him.  
Link decided it was probably time for him to get home also. Sleep seemed to be a perfect antidote for a temporary cure for pain in daily life. But before he went home, he sat on the stepping-stone near the waterfall a short distance away. After a moment Link jumped into the cool, refreshing water. He swam about a bit, and then looked up at the moon. No one was outside at this time, and Link decided he should probably go home also. Link climbed his ladder and hummed Zelda's Lullaby to himself as he glanced once more at the lovely silver moon, for the sight of the moon reminded him of Zelda. He then walked into his house and went to bed. He hoped he could sleep long enough for people to forget tonight. 


End file.
